This invention relates principally to a cleaning fluid that may effectively loosen fungi growths from upon a phonograph record surface, coagulates them by emulsification, and then removes said particles through cooperation of a specially designed slanted pile brush.
Experimentation has shown the humidity plus organic contamination upon a surface, as for example, the vinyl and plastic surface of a phonograph record, does serve as a life-support system for microorganisms, in addition to adhering the usual dirt particles. Such microbes, especially fungi, produce enzymes in an environment that can render them active enough to be so destructive as to actually etch a glass surface, much less the plastic surface of a phonograph record. When this activity occurs upon a phonograph record, since such contemporary records are usually formed of a vinyl resin, they may more easily induce an irreversible damage to the record surface and impair substantially the quality and tone of its recording, in addition to physically blocking the encoded subsurfaces of the record.
Other types of cleaning fluids presently available and in common use usually do not take into consideration the microbial additions usually accumulated upon material surfaces, and in particular the subsurfaces, and in addition, they usually only contain fluid ingredients such as wetting agents and alcohols, principally to provide for a wet of the surface, with then a dissolving of the dirt particles thereon. In use, most of these prior fluids, while being somewhat effective, usually fail with convenient application to totally loosen all of the dirt particles deposited upon the surface to be cleaned, and in particular, any fungal contamination living thereon, and therefore, have a tendency to leave some residum dirt remaining upon the surface even after a thorough cleaning. Hence, prior cleaning fluids have a tendency to simply rearrange the residue dust and dirt particles on the surface being cleaned, rather than lift all of the same from the surface for a total cleansing as judged by microscopic examination.
More particularly, prior cleaning compositions usually contain ingredients to specific quantities that while providing ample proportions of cleaning agents that may satisfactorily clean durable surfaces, such as presented on metal, glass, or ceramic surfaces, such ingredients are generally too caustic to be utilized upon plastic surfaces, and in particular the delicate vinyl resin surfaces of a phonograph record, and in addition, such prior art cleaning compositions are also equally too caustic to be utilized freely for personal use cleaning, such as in the manner of domestic cleaning of phonograph records by the owner, which is almost always performed without any gloves or other forms of protective skin covering. For example, the prior art United States patent to Shema, No. 3,639,293, a slime control composition is disclosed, and which contains an ingredient for inhibiting the growth of slime in water, mainly for use in industrial purposes, with the particular type of slime being treated usually within the category of a bacterial species or its exrement that can soil or clog a surface. The cleaning ingredient includes a bactericide having biocidal activity, being used to eradicate bacterial growths, and is not necessarily used for treating the type of growths that exists upon the delicate resin surface that is presented upon a phonograph record. In addition, the present invention is designed to act as a fungicide, for use in eradicating fungi, as distinct from bacterial growths, upon and within the delicate encoded grooves of a phonograph record without occluding them with the cleaning agent. And furthermore, the quantity and type of bactericide suggested in this prior art patent is of the type that will leave a significant quantity of dry weight residue upon a surface, such as a record surface, in the event that Shema could even be utilized for such microsurfaces, then such residue of Shema's composition is totally detrimental to the continued usage of the phonograph record, generating an abrasiveness effect, which can lead to an early destruction of its fidelity. In addition, the residue of prior art formulations will generally occlude the encoded grooves of phonograph discs so as to eliminate accurate, full frequency, and undistorted playback from the same.
In view of the foregoing, it can be stated that previous formulations for micro-surface cleaners have generally ignored the problem of microbial degradation, which provides the base support for formation of damage to a phonograph record surface, or its subsurface, as presented through its cut grooves facing, and in addition, provides a remaining and residue like oily film which promptly attracts and accumulates other dust and dirt particles immediately even though the surface may have just been cleaned. And, as previously stated, once this oily film dries it provides a powdery residue which is too abrasive to the encoded record surface during subsequent performances. Many of these prior art cleaning fluids contain principally surfactants, such as glycerols and glycols alone, which have a tendency to act as intermediates which may even provide the life support for growth of organisms, such as fungi. Many of these compounds are growth stimulatory to bacteria and fungi, and directly contribute to the sustained life of such organisms particularly in these hard to clean micro-grooved subsurfaces of phonograph records. And, the known prior art cleaners contain un-linked alcohols and/or aldehydes that usually react with the plasticizer and/or stabilizer molecules of the resin formulations as are present in phonograph records, rendering them undesirably more brittle in structure after treatment. In addition to the foregoing, the instrumentalities that have heretofore been employed for cleaning surfaces of the described nature are usually just cloth like in appearance, and provide little or no assistance to loosening the tightly adhering dirt particles, much less the fungal organisms, and usually just shift the dust and dirt to another location upon the surface for its adherence thereon. In most instances, commercial cleaning fluids simply advise the user to apply any soft cloth in conjunction with its accompanying fluid.
It is, therefore, the principal object of this invention to provide a fluid cleaning composition which includes not only a surfactant for enhancing wetting of the surface to be cleaned, but in addition, contains a fungicidal ingredient, and an emulsifier, so as to both loosen any organisms and provide for their accumulation and ease of removal.
Another object of this invention is to provide a cleaning composition that decontaminates, and subsequently sustains the decontamination, of the surface being cleaned by removing lipid and surface organic contamination from the surface of interest.
In addition to the foregoing, another object of this invention is the provision of a novel angularly finished pile brush which both facilitates the loosening of dirt particles from a surface, or subsurface, in addition to providing the means for retention of the loosened dirt, and its effective removal.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a cleaning fluid formulation which removes dirt particles and organisms which have a tendency to etch and deteriorate delicate plastic surfaces.
Another object of this invention is to provide a combination of surfactant, emulsifier, fungicide, and liquid carrier at low levels that make them harmless to the human touch during personal usage, and which also exhibits a relatively very low dry weight residue unprecedented in the prior art such that after the evaporation of the liquid carrier there is no impedence to the fine fidelity desired from a phonograph record during performance, nor is left any abrasive like dry or dust particles that are detrimental to sustained fidelity.
Other objects will become more apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the following summary, description, and accompanying drawing.